Gauhati varsity VC resigns

Guwahati, Sep 28 (UNI) Gauhati University Vice-Chancellor Amarjyoti Choudhury has resigned citing failure of the state government in providing adequate funds.

When contacted, Raj Bhavan sources said Governor Lt Gen(Retd) Ajai Singh, who is the Chancellor of the University, had received the resignation letter but had not yet accepted it.

However, state Higher Education Minister Ripun Bora termed the VC's action as ''escaping his responsibility by resigning''.

Talking to reporters here, Mr Bora said the resignation was unfortunate as Gauhati University is a self financed autonomous institute.

He claimed that the state government had provided Rs 20 crore this year and the 12th Finance Commission had given a similar amount. But the VC charged that the government had not even bothered to respond to the Rs 181 crore vision document he had prepared and also not given a single paisa of the Rs 25 crore announced on August 15.

This has further angered the student community and the All Assam Student Union(AASU), which has been backing the VC, resorted to road blockade of the national highway passing through the university campus. It announced that a full-fledged agitation would be launched if proper academic atmosphere was not restored.

This afternoon an AASU delegation, led by adviser Dr Samujjal Kr Bhattacharrya, met the Chancellor and requested him not to accept the resignation. The Chancellor is expected to issue a statement later in the day rejecting the resignation.